Worst to Best: Every Eric B. & Rakim Album Ranked

Eric B. & Rakim have an enviable legacy in hip-hop; one that puts them near the front of the genre's most respected and revered artists. Eric B. met Rakim when they were just teens, and the radio deejay was blown away by the young man's skills on the mic. They would go on to change the course of the genre with their uber-classic debut album Paid In Full and over the course of the next five years, Eric B. & Rakim would become standard-bearers for no-frills brand of hardcore hip-hop that would define the contemporary East Coast sound.

Rakim remains one of the genre's most mythic figures; a mysterious rhymer who nonetheless commands respect from everyone from Nas to Andre 3000. In his solo career, he sustained his peerless reputation even while shunning the spotlight, and he's never rested on that rep--choosing instead to consistently push his art as a lyricist on albums, singles and via high-profile guest appearances with other stars like JAY-Z and Kanye West.